Shorthanded Goals

Penalties (min)

Shots on Goal

Face Offs Won

The Matchups
The University of New Hampshire women's ice hockey team ends the 2011 portion of its schedule this weekend with a trip to Harvard University (Dec. 9, 7 pm) and a home game against intrastate rival Dartmouth College (Dec. 11, 2 pm).
Sunday's game vs. Dartmouth will be broadcast live on The Wildcat Sports Radio Network.
UNH has a 28-13-4 lifetime record, including last year's 3-1 loss at the Whittemore Center, against Harvard University. Last year's loss ended a nine-game unbeaten streak (6-0-3) against the Crimson that spanned from December 2004 to November 2009. Three of the last four meetings – and four of the last six – have gone into overtime.
The Wildcats have a 10-5-3 road record in this series and they are unbeaten in the last four games (2-0-2) at Bright Hockey Center.
UNH has a 34-12-4 lifetime record, including a 5-4 road victory in overtime earlier this season, against Dartmouth. The Wildcats have won five straight vs. the Big Green spanning January 2008 to November 2011. The 'Cats are 7-1-1 in the last nine matchups with the lone loss coming Jan. 20, 2007 (4-2).
New Hampshire has an 18-3-2 home record vs. Dartmouth and is 3-0-1 in the last four home games (January 2006 to December 2010). The most recent loss to the Big Green at the Whittemore Center occurred Jan. 5, 2005 (3-1).
Earlier this year (Nov. 6), UNH skated to a 5-4 overtime victory at Thompson Arena. The 'Cats struck first on Jenna Lascelle's goal midway through the first period, but Dartmouth scored twice before the first intermission and extended its lead to 3-1 in the second stanza before Heather Kashman scored a power-play goal with 1:52 on the clock in the middle period. Emma Clark pulled New Hampshire even, 3-3, midway through the third period but Kelly Foley scored her second goal of the game less than two minutes later to put the home team back in front. Kayla Mork's first career goal lifted the Wildcats back into a tie, 4-4, with 4:22 remaining in regulation. UNH carried that momentum into the extra session, where Clark scored on the team's sixth shot of overtime to end the game at 3:02. Jenn Gilligan went the distance in goal for the 'Cats and finished with 16 saves. DC counterpart Katie Milligan stopped 24 shots.

The State of New Hampshire
New Hampshire has a 6-10-3 overall record that includes 4-1-1 against ECAC teams, 3-3-2 at home and 3-7-1 on the road.
This weekend's games are the Wildcats' last non-conference games of the regular season. UNH closes the regular season with 13 consecutive Hockey East league games.
New Hampshire remained unbeaten in overtime this season with its 3-3 tie against 10th-ranked Northeastern University at the Whittemore Center on Dec. 3. The Wildcats are now 2-0-3 in OT this season. Dating back to last year, the 'Cats are unbeaten in their last nine overtime games (4-0-5). UNH's last overtime loss was Oct. 9, 2010 (1-0 at Colgate).
The 'Cats have scored a power-play goal each of the last four games (5-for-20).
The Wildcats' penalty kill unit was perfect in 16 consecutive shorthanded situations spanning four games from Nov. 19–29. The streak ended when the Union Dutchwomen scored on their third power-play opportunity of the game on Nov. 29. The 16 consecutive successful kills included 9-for-9 against Princeton (Nov. 26).
UNH has a 6-0-1 record when scoring at least three goals in a game.

On Second Thought
UNH has scored half of its 38 in the second period.

Three for Three
New Hampshire limited the opponent to three third-period shots twice in a three-game span – Nov. 29 vs. Union and Nov. 25 vs. Maine.

'Cat Nips
In her season debut at the Whittemore Center, senior goalie Lindsey Minton played the second, third and OT periods and stopped 26 of 27 shots to backbone UNH to a 3-3 tie against 10th-ranked Northeastern.
Senior forward Emma Clark recorded a career-high two assists Dec. 3 against Northeastern; the two points matched a personal best.
Junior forward Bryanna Farris matched her career high of two points (1g, 1a) Dec. 3 vs. NU.
Freshman defenseman Brynja Bogan scored her first collegiate goal Dec. 3 against the Huskies.
In the faceoff circle, Nicole Gifford leads the team in both wins (214) and total faceoffs (392). Arielle O'Neill ranks second in both of those stats with 176 faceoff wins in 272 draws; of the three primary centers, O'Neill has the top winning percentage (.647); she had a particularly impressive game in the faceoff circle against Maine on Nov. 25, when she won 19 of 23 draws; O'Neill also controlled 9 of 11 faceoffs Nov. 29 against Union.

Horn Hits 50
Junior defenseman Kristine Horn – she has patrolled the blue line each of the last six games – recorded her 50th career point with the second of her two points Nov. 29 against Union College. She entered the game with 48 points and inched closer to the benchmark with a third-period assist that tied the score, 2-2. She then set up the game-winning overtime goal for her second assist of the game, eighth of the season and 31st of her career. Horn has 19 career goals in 82 games.

What Just Happened?
UNH played a home-and-home two-game series against 10th-ranked Northeastern University last weekend and earned one point with a 3-3 tie at the Whittemore Center on Dec. 3. One day later, the Huskies prevailed 5-1 at Matthews Arena.
On home ice, the Wildcats overcame a 2-0 first-period deficit to take a 3-2 lead on goals by Brynja Bogan (16:27, 1st period), Bryanna Farris (11:05, 2nd) and Kristina Lavoie (5:08, 3rd). NU rallied to tie the score, 3-3, 68 seconds later. Lindsey Minton, who entered the game at the start of the second period, earned the tie by stopping 26 of 27 shots. Florence Schelling was credited with 20 saves.
In Boston, the homestanding Huskies struck twice in the first period and took that 2-0 lead into the third period. NU extended the advantage to four goals before New Hampshire's Nicole Gifford netted a 6-on-3 goal (two Huskies in the penalty box and Minton on the bench in favor of an extra skater) at 12:17. With Minton back on the bench, NU potted a shorthanded empty-net goal 61 seconds later to cap the scoring. Minton finished with 22 saves and Schelling had 26.

What's Up Next?
Following Sunday's game against Dartmouth College, the Wildcats go on an extended break for exams and the holiday season. New Hampshire's next game is Jan. 10, 2012 at Boston College.

Right at Home
In seven games at the Whittemore Center, Jenn Gilligan has a 3-2-1 record with a 1.88 GAA, .904 save percentage and one shutout. She has surrendered more than one goal twice (2-1 loss to Syracuse, Oct. 8; 3-2 overtime win vs. Union, Nov. 29). In her most recent home game, Gilligan was pulled after one period with UNH trailing 2-0 to 10th-ranked Northeastern (Dec. 3); she was credited with six saves.
In her home debut of the 2011-12 season, Lindsey Minton stopped 26 of 27 shots to backbone UNH to a 3-3 tie in that Dec. 3 game vs. NU. With those numbers, Minton is 0-0-1 with a 1.36 GAA and .963 save percentage.
Both Nicole Gifford (3g, 4a) and Kristine Horn (3g, 4a) have tallied seven points in eight games.

Captaining the 'Cats
Junior defenseman Kailey Chappell is captain of the 2011-12 UNH Wildcats, while junior defenseman Katie Brock and sophomore forward Nicole Gifford will serve as alternate captains. All three were named to the 2011 Hockey East All-Academic Team.
Chappell logs innumerable minutes as the backbone of the Wildcats' defensive unit and penalty kill. She tallied her first point of the season with an assist in UNH's 3-2 overtime victory against Union College (Nov. 29 at the Whittemore Center).
Brock is also an integral part of the defense and penalty kill. She also has one point this season with an assist in the team's 5-4 overtime victory at Dartmouth on Nov. 6.
Gifford, with six points (4g, 2a) the past four games, has climbed to the top of the team leaderboard in goals (seven), power-play goals (four) and points (16); she is also tied for first in assists (nine) and ranks third in both shots (53) and shooting percentage (.132).
Gifford, who recorded an assist each of the first four games, has tallied a point in 11 of 19 games with four multiple-point efforts. She scored three goals Nov. 26 vs. Princeton University for her first career multiple-goal game, and the three points also marked a personal best. Gifford then matched her personal best of two assists Nov. 29 against Union College. She had previously tallied a career-high two assists at fifth-ranked Boston University (Nov. 12).

Providing "O" From The D
Kristine Horn opened the season as a forward but has skated as a defenseman each of the last six games (began Nov. 19 at second-ranked Minnesota). Overall, the junior ranks second in both goals (six) and points (15) as well as shots (58), and is tied for the lead in assists (nine). She is also tied for second in power-play goals (two).
Horn has recorded a point in three of six games as a defenseman, and that included consecutive two-assist performances against Princeton (Nov. 26) and Union (Nov. 29); the two assists match her personal best.
Horn recorded her 50th career point (19g, 31a) with the second of her two points Nov. 29 against Union College at the Whittemore Center.
She opened the 2011-12 season with a five-game goal-scoring streak and has recorded a point in 11 of 19 games with four multiple-point efforts, including 1g, 1a against both Niagara (Oct. 1) and fifth-ranked Boston U. (Nov. 12).
Horn is the team's top scorer in Hockey East league play with five points (2g, 3a) in eight games.

Forward Thinking
Kristina Lavoie, last year's team leader in both assists and points, is once again one of the team's top point producers. Lavoie ranks third in points (10), is tied for second in goals (six) and tied for fifth in assists (four), and is atop the leaderboard in shots (62); she has two game-winning goals and two power-play goals. Lavoie has a pair of two-point games (Sept. 30 at Niagara; Oct. 7 vs. Colgate). She recently scored a goal in back-to-back games against Union College (Nov. 29) and 10th-ranked Northeastern University (Dec. 3).
Lavoie recorded her 50th career point with the first of her two points, a second-period assist, Sept. 30 at Niagara. She enters the weekend with 33 goals and 26 assists for 59 points to lead all active players in both goals and points (and rank second in assists).
Entering Friday's game, O'Neill has six points on one goal and five assists, which ranks third on the team. She tallied two helpers in the Sept. 30 season opener at Niagara and had an assist Oct. 21 at St. Lawrence as well as an assist in the 5-4 overtime win at Dartmouth College on Nov. 6.

The Puck Stops Here
UNH has three goaltenders on its 2011-12 roster, but only senior Lindsey Minton entered the season with collegiate experience. Freshman Jenn Gilligan immediately challenged Minton for playing time and fellow newcomer Moe Bradley completes the depth chart.
Gilligan, in fact, has more than just challenged for playing time as she has received the starting nod in 14 of 19 games. She made 21 saves in her Sept. 30 collegiate debut, a 6-4 victory at Niagara. In her next start, Gilligan stopped 19 shots to record her first career shutout in a 3-0 win against Colgate on Oct. 7. She made 24 saves to backbone UNH to a 1-1 tie against fifth-ranked Boston College at the Whittemore Center (Oct. 14) and then stopped a season-high 28 shots in the 2-2 tie at St. Lawrence (Oct. 21). Gilligan matched that personal best of 28 saves in a 5-2 loss at fifth-ranked Boston University (Nov. 12).
In the two-game series at second-ranked Minnesota (Nov. 18-19), she started both games and played a total of three periods. In the opener, Gilligan made 27 saves and surrendered eight goals in 40 minutes. One day later, she made 17 first-period saves and exited the game with UNH trailing 3-0 at the first intermission.
Gilligan's season numbers include a 5-6-2 record, 3.13 GAA, .874 save percentage and one shutout.
Minton got the starting nod Oct. 1 at Niagara and stopped 22 of 24 shots to backbone the Wildcats to a 3-2 victory. It marked her 50th career game (48th start). In her second start, Minton made a season-high 30 saves, including 16 in the third period, in a 5-0 loss at fifth-ranked BC. It marked the fifth time in her career that Minton finished with 30+ saves.
Most recently, Minton played five of six periods (plus the overtime session) in a home-and-home series against 10th-ranked Northeastern University. She helped backbone UNH to a 3-3 tie at home against NU on Dec. 3; she played the second, third and overtime periods and stopped 26 of 27 shots. Minton played all three periods of the 5-1 road loss on Dec. 4 in which she made 22 saves and allowed four goals.
Overall in five games, Minton is 1-3-1 with a 3.76 GAA and .875 save percentage.
Bradley made a relief appearance three consecutive games spanning Nov. 13-19 prior to making her first career start Nov. 25 against Maine. She made her collegiate debut Nov. 13 at Providence with a relief stint of 28 minutes, 1 second and finished with 18 saves, including 14 in the third period, and allowed two goals.
In the two-game series at second-ranked Minnesota, Bradley stopped 11 of 14 third-period shots on Nov. 18, then made a career-high 29 saves with 11 stops in the second period and 18 in the third; she allowed three goals in that game.
Bradley made 18 saves in her start against Maine (3-0 loss). Her overall numbers include 0-1-0, 4.47 GAA and .874 save percentage.

No longer freshmenHannah Armstrong and Maggie Hunt are veterans on the 2011-12 squad despite their sophomore status. Armstrong, who has missed each of the last 11 games, opened the 2011-12 season with a two-point weekend at Niagara University. She scored a goal in the Sept. 30 opener, then tallied an assist Oct. 1. Armstrong tallied her third point of the season Oct. 14 with an assist in the 1-1 tie vs. 5th-ranked Boston College.
Hunt has emerged as one of the team's top point producers in recent weeks with six points (2g, 4a) in eight games; she tallied a point on four of the team's five goals spanning Nov. 13-26, then scored the game-winning power-play goal in overtime against Union College on Nov. 29. Last weekend against 10th-ranked Northeastern, Hunt tallied an assist on the team's only goal in the 5-1 road loss (Dec. 4).
Hunt recorded personal bests in both assists and points with a two-assist effort Nov. 26 against Princeton. Hunt scored a goal Nov. 19 at second-ranked Minnesota and tallied an assists Nov. 13 at Providence College.
Hunt is UNH's top-scoring defenseman with eight points (3g, 5a) in 19 games; she tallied 2-2-4 in 30 games last year as a freshman. She quarterbacks the power play and her team rankings include tied for second in power-play goals (three), third in assists, tied for fourth in points and fourth in shots (50).
She recorded her first point of the 2011-12 season with an assist on the Wildcats' only goal in a 2-1 loss to Syracuse at the Whittemore Center on Oct. 8. She scored the team's only goal against Vermont on Nov. 3 (4-1 loss at the Whittemore Center).

Immediate Impact
Five members of the freshman class have skated in all 19 games, another skater has played in 18 of 19. Freshman goaltender Jenn Gilligan has seen action in 14 games (all starts) and Moe Bradley has played in four games (one start). Heather Kashman (5g, 3a) and Jenna Lascelle (2g, 4a) are the top point producers and Kayla Mork (1g, 2a) has contributed three points. Caroline Broderick (1g) and Brynja Bogan (1g, 1a) have seen significant minutes as part of the defensive unit and Jess Ryan has also patrolled the blue line. In the last six games, Ryan has skated as a forward. Broderick also made the transition three consecutive games before missing the Nov. 29 game against Union; she continued on the front line upon returning to action for the Dec. 3-4 home-and-home series against Northeastern University.

Five A's For The D
The defensive corps combined to record all five of the team's assists in the 3-1 victory against Princeton (Nov. 26). Kristine Horn and Maggie Hunt tallied two assists apiece and Brynja Bogan had one helper.
The Wildcats' D tallied four of the team's nine points against Union (Nov. 29) with a goal and three assists. Horn once again recorded two goals while Hunt scored the game-winning goal in overtime and Kailey Chappell had an assist.
At least one blueliner factored in nine consecutive goals spanning Nov. 13 –Dec. 3.

'Cats on TV
New Hampshire will have two of its home games broadcast live on WBIN-TV. You can catch the 'Cats on the tube Nov. 26 against Princeton as well as Jan. 28 against Vermont.

The McCloskey file
Brian McCloskey (Dartmouth '77), who recorded his 200th career victory Dec. 8, 2009 at Boston College (4-0 win), is in his ninth year at the helm of the Wildcats. He is a four-time Hockey East Coach of the Year recipient (2003, 2005, 2006, 2009) and was runner-up in both the 2003 and 2006 national Coach of the Year balloting. He has directed UNH to the NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Championship five consecutive years (2006-10) with four consecutive Hockey East tournament titles (2006-09) and six straight league regular-season crowns (2004-09). The 'Cats advanced to the Frozen Four in '06 and '08.
A Wildcat was honored as Player of the Year each of the first four years of Hockey East's existence. In addition, the ITECH Goaltending Champion award was presented to a UNH goalie each of the first six years and the Scoring Champion has five times been a Wildcat.
McCloskey has compiled a 228-76-34 overall record, including a 137-35-17 mark in Hockey East, with 20+ wins each of the initial seven seasons.
In his first year (2003) as head coach of the program, he led the 'Cats to a 27-7-2 record, which is now the fifth-best single-season win mark behind those established in 2006 & 2008 (33), 1998 (31) and 2007 (28).
Under his tutelage, five players have received a total of six All-America honors and five have been honored as a Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award Top 10 Finalist.
Here's a look at some notable wins:
1st win– Oct. 11, 2002 (4-0 vs. Vermont)
1st Hockey East win– Nov. 2, 2002 (5-1 vs. Maine)
50th win– March 20, 2004 (5-0 vs. Northeastern)
100th win– Feb. 25, 2006 (5-0 vs. Vermont)
150th win– Jan. 5, 2008 (3-1 at Brown)
200th win– Dec. 8, 2009 (4-0 at Boston College)
Coach McCloskey's predecessors at UNH also exceeded 200 victories. Russ McCurdy compiled a 264-36-10 record from 1978-92 and Karen Kay went 215-90-25 from 1993-2002.

Scouting the Crimson
Harvard University (Cambridge, Mass.) enters the week with a 6-4-0 overall record that includes 6-2-0 in the ECAC and 2-3-0 at home. The Crimson travels to play Providence College on Thursday before facing off against UNH.
In its most recent game, Harvard won 2-1 at Dartmouth College to level the season series at 1-1-0. The Crimson's 3-2 home loss to Dartmouth on Nov. 23 was the first of three consecutive losses; Harvard was then swept in a two-game home series by Minnesota (2-1, 7-3).
Jillian Dempsey (6g, 5a) and Marisa Gedman (4g, 7a) are tied for the team lead in points with 11. Dempsey ranks first on the team in goals, while Gedman and Josephine Pucci are tied atop the assist leaderboard.
Laura Bellamy is the only goaltender who has seen action this season. She is 6-4-0 with a 2.20 GAA, .914 save percentage and one shutout.
Half of Harvard's 10 games have been decided by one goal, and the Crimson has a 3-2 record in those one-goal games.

Scouting the Big Green
Dartmouth College (Hanover, N.H.) carries a 5-5-1 overall record that includes 4-3-1 in the ECAC, 4-1-1 on the road and 1-2-0 against Hockey East teams (including the 5-4 overtime home loss to UNH on Nov. 6). The Big Green has not played since a 2-1 home loss to Harvard on Nov. 30.
Kelly Foley leads the team in both goals (eight) and points (12). Camille Dumais is second in goals (four), assists (five) and points (nine). Reagan Fischer has a team-leading seven assists.
Lindsay Holdcroft is the team's top goaltender. In nine games (all starts), she is 4-4-1 with a 1.77 GAA, .933 save percentage and two shutouts. Katie Milligan has a 1-1-0 mark with a 3.88 GAA and .869 save percentage in two games (both starts).
Each of Dartmouth's last four games have been decided by one goal (2-2) and the Big Green is 4-4 overall in one-goal games.
Dartmouth has the scoring edge in both the first (11-6) and second (8-5) periods, but the Big Green has been outscored 13-5 in the third.